Claustrophobia
by forfirith87
Summary: Hikaru and Haruhi get stuck in an elevator together.


Hikaru was annoyed. Kyouya had snapped at him and Kaoru for their last prank which they thought was pretty funny. "Trust us to catch Kyouya on a bad day." Hikaru mumbled as he headed down from the Host clubs storage room, back to the 3rd music room. He reached for the elevator button just as the doors opened. "Hikaru!"

Haruhi was standing in the elevator holding the door open. "Hey Haruhi, what are you doing here?" Haruhi sighed, "Tamaki-Senpai was acting crazy, going on and on about me being his daughter, I needed a break." Hikaru nodded and pressed the button for the lobby and they both watched the metallic doors slid shut in front of them. They waited in silence, both watching the numbers slowly tick down as they descended.

When the illuminated numbers reached the number five, the elevator came to a shuddering halt. Both occupants of the elevator looked at the doors waiting for the person who had pressed the button to enter but nothing happened. They exchanged worried glances before Haruhi pushed the down button on the elevator… nothing happened.

"I think we're stuck." Hikaru said, choosing to point out the obvious. "What should we do?" Haruhi asked sounding nervous. "There should be an intercom." Hikaru said as he looked around the button panel and pressed the right button for the intercom.

"Hello, can anyone hear me?" he said down the speaker but was met with silence. "Can anyone hear me?!" he said a little louder. "Don't tell me it doesn't work…" he mumbled to himself. "I'll check my phone." Haruhi said as she pulled her phone from her pocket. "No signal" she said as she looked up at Hikaru worriedly.

"I'll check mine." Hikaru pulled out his phone, "Mine too." he muttered angrily. "I guess all we can do now is wait." Hikaru said as he slumped to the floor. Haruhi looked around at the metal box that she was now captive in. "How long do you think we'll be stuck in here?" she asked trying to keep the worry out of her voice. "No idea, not many people use this elevator, so it could be a while."

(Haruhi POV)

_Why does this need to happen now? I'm shaking…it's getting hard to breathe, my heads spinning…I need to sit down._ _I just need to concentrate on getting myself back to normal. Ok __,__think calm thoughts, I'm fine, nothings going to happen to me. Someone will realise that the elevator isn't working soon and will call out the right people to help us._

_Us…That's right __Hikaru __is with me…taking up space…leaving me with less space…I can't breathe!_

(3rd person POV)

Hikaru looked over at Haruhi who was now hunched over, her breathing had become ragged and he panicked. "Haruhi? Are you alright?" he asked sounding concerned. Haruhi didn't answer or give any indication that she had heard a word Hikaru had said at all. "Haruhi!" he said as he grabbed her shoulders and forced her to sit up properly.

"Haruhi what's wrong? You have to tell me or I can't help you!" he said pleading with Haruhi. "Not…enough…space." She said in-between pants for breath. "What?" Hikaru looked at himself. He was on his knees next to Haruhi but the only part of his body touching her was his hands and he was a good distance away from her.

"I don't understand Haruhi!" he said starting to get more concerned as her breathing worsened. "I…hate…small…spaces…not…enough…room." She panted out. A little light bulb suddenly sprang to life in Hikaru's head, "Haruhi, are you claustrophobic?" Haruhi nodded her head as she curled into a small ball. "Oh damn Haruhi, I didn't know!" He said trying not to panic. "What should I do?" he asked, looking about the elevator.

"I know! Haruhi move away from the wall." She gave him a look, which clearly said that she wanted to argue but she was in no condition to do so, so she surprisingly moved without any argument. Hikaru slipped himself in behind Haruhi, his legs wide apart with her in-between them. "Hikaru…what… are… you… doing?" she asked "I'm giving you more space." he answered. "If I'm back here, you can look around the rest of place and you wont see anyone else in your space."

Haruhi smiled at Hikaru's kind gesture. "Thanks." She mumbled as she concentrated on getting her breathing back under control. Hikaru noticed Haruhi shaking and he wrapped his arms loosely around her stomach making sure that she didn't feel constricted. "Thanks again." She said as her breathing started to level out. "Any time." He answered as Haruhi leaned back against his chest.

Hikaru felt a blush start to rise on his cheeks as he watched Haruhi lying against him. Despite what others may have thought about him, Hikaru had come to terms for what he felt for Haruhi. He had just never been able to find a way to express himself. It's not something he had a lot of practice with. _At least I'm getting to hold h__er__ like this_. He thought as he subconsciously tightened his grip on the girl in his arms.

Haruhi felt Hikaru's grip tighten and let a small smile grace her lips. _It feels so great being in __hi__s arms like this. I just wish we could be like this more often_. She thought as she breathed in Hikaru's scent. They stayed in that position for half an hour. Haruhi's breathing had returned to normal and she had stopped shaking. Both were just relishing in the feeling of being so close to the other. "Hey Hikaru? Can I ask you a favour?" Haruhi said as she changed her position slightly.

"Sure what is it?" he asked as he opened his eyes and looked down at the girl in his arms. "Can you sing for me?" she asked looking up at him hopefully as she moved to sit beside Hikaru. "Sure if you want me to…hmmmm. What to sing…" he closed his eyes as he thought of what song he should sing, then he found the perfect one.

Going through the motions of every day life

While still feeling disconnected from the real world

An empty shell filling my space

Creating the illusion that I'm still here

In the past I took you for granted

I thought you'd always wait (Always wait)

And now I'm paying the price

As I watch you hand in hand

With the lover you once called friend

I want to pull on the red thread

That once connected our hearts

And I know that I can change

To the person I was back then

So there's no need to cry…

Dreams fade out of sight

Like balloons set free to the sky

A harsh wind blows

Reminding me that I'm alone

I need to disconnect my hopes from you (Hopes from you)

Can't let you know what I'm putting myself through

I have to become strong (Become strong)

I have to remember how to smile

Even if it's backed by an empty soul

I want to pull on the red thread

That once connected our hearts

Yeah, and I know that I can change

To the person I was back then

So there's no need to cry…

Haruhi had closed her eyes during the song and slowly reopened them as the last note faded from Hikaru's mouth. "Well, what do you think?" Hikaru asked slightly hesitantly since not many people had heard him sing. "I think you're great!" Haruhi said excitedly while flashing Hikaru a smile that would have made him go weak at the knees if he hadn't been sitting down.

"Seriously?" he asked. Haruhi nodded, "Even if it is a little sad, I still like it." Haruhi said. "Kaoru said the same thing." Haruhi nodded but a small frown appeared on her face. She understood the bond between the twins, but she sometimes felt frustrated about how closed off they still were. Haruhi's frown deepened as she leaned back against the metal wall of the elevator and closed her eyes and sighed.

Hikaru noticed the change in Haruhi's behaviour and frowned also. "Haruhi? Are you ok? Do you want me to move again?" he said as he started to worry again. Haruhi shook her head before laying it on Hikaru's shoulder, "No, don't move… please just stay where you are… right next to me." Hikaru flushed red at Haruhi's actions but made no to attempt to move her.

Instead he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and held her closer before laying his head gently on top of Haruhi's. "Hikaru?" Hikaru mumbled a "Yeah" in response. "What made you sing that song?" Hikaru's eyes snapped open_ the dreaded question_ he thought. "I-I'm not really sure. You asked me so suddenly and that's the first one that came to mind."

_I should smack myself for my own stupidity. Why the hell did I choose to sing that? I know a full variety of songs I could have used but nooooooooo I had to sing th__at__ one because I__'m__ jealous of you having to spend time with other people._Hikaru thought.

"Hmmmm… still it seems like it meant something to you personally. If I didn't know any better I'd say you're in love with someone." _Where the hell are these questions coming from am I stupid?!_ Haruhi yelled to herself mentally while Hikaru choked on air. Haruhi sat up on her knees and turned to face Hikaru who was starting to get nervous.

_Just don't look at h__er__ and everything will be ok… yup! No problems here… __damn__.. I looked._

Hikaru's eyes trailed up and down Haruhi's body taking in every detail as the younger girl started directly into his eyes. "Have you got a secret crush?" Haruhi asked as she leaned forward slightly while giving Hikaru a questioning look. Hikaru's mind barely registered the question as his eyes became diverted to the skin at Haruhi's neck that had been exposed when she had moved.

Haruhi became nervous under Hikaru's intense stare, "Hikaru are you –" Haruhi wasn't able to finish her sentence since Hikaru decided he would throw caution to the wind (although that's a politer version than what actually ran through his head) and lunged forward at Haruhi effectively sending her back against the wall as lips met lips.

Haruhi was in shock at Hikaru's forwardness. _I can't believe he__'s actually kissing me!_ After that last coherent thought, Haruhi began to respond to Hikaru's kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck. Hikaru mentally sighed in relief _I thought I had messed up when __s__he didn't respond, I just lost control… oh well__,__ its worth it._

Hikaru's left hand started to slide up the side of Haruhi's face as Haruhi's hand threaded through Hikaru's hair. "Ahem." Hikaru and Haruhi froze at the sound of a throat being cleared. They looked at each other with a "Was that you look?" before turning to the door which was opened wide and led onto a scene with a crying Tamaki, a laughing Kaoru and a blushing maintenance worker. Haruhi quickly pushed Hikaru away and quickly stood up.

"Haruhi... My daughter! How could you do this to Daddy?!" Tamaki wailed. Kaoru winked at his brother, "Looks like you finally figured it out." he said making his brother blush. Haruhi pushed her way past the people outside the elevator. "We better hurry up and get back, or Kyouya-senpai will kill us." she said briskly as she marched off down the corridor leaving Hikaru to suffer Tamaki's wrath alone.

* For anyone who is confused about the red thread thing it's known as the "red thread of destiny" it's an old custom/belief from Japan that everyone is attached to their soul mate by an invisible red thread which is tied around the pinkie finger. Its usual meaning is that the two connected people will become lovers. ^_^


End file.
